According to a new study conducted by Gradus Research, more than a third of surveyed Ukrainians indicated that pharmacy markups exceed 25%, with this figure being even higher among people aged 35 to 60. The rise in drug prices has become a serious issue, and citizens expect the government to take action to address it.
This is reported by Finway
Study Results
62% of respondents noted that spending on medications is one of the main expenses in their budget. Among them, 90% indicated that the rising cost of medicines is a significant problem, and 79% are forced to cut back on spending for other goods in order to afford medications. Ukrainians most often save on clothing (66%), household goods (54%), and even food products (51%). This indicates that the increase in drug prices negatively affects the standard of living, forcing people to forgo basic needs, which can lead to serious social and medical consequences.
“More than a third of respondents (36%) noted that pharmacy markups are 25% or more, and among those aged 35 to 60, this figure is even higher (45%). Overall, the situation with markups worsens the accessibility of medications, especially for middle-aged and older individuals who are the primary consumers of pharmaceutical products. This amplifies the public demand for government regulation of prices and limits on pharmacy markups,” the document states.
Research Methodology
The study was conducted from March 20 to 28 through a self-administered questionnaire in the Gradus mobile app. A total of 1,604 respondents participated, including women and men aged 18 and older who consider medications one of their main expense categories and who reside in Ukraine (excluding temporarily occupied territories and areas where active hostilities are taking place).